Join our 2019 Reading Challenge!
Looking for the TPL Reading Challenge 2020? It officially launches on January 13, 2020!
Check back at tpl.ca/readingchallenge on or after the 13 for a whole new challenge list!
Welcome to the Toronto Public Library (TPL) Reading Challenge for 2019. Want to read more? Try new authors and genres? Learn new things? This challenge is for you!
Join the challenge
From January 3, 2019 to December 31, 2019, we’re challenging you to read widely. To complete the challenge, you need to read a book to satisfy each of the 14 challenge categories we’ve proposed. That gives you three weeks per book. Sounds too easy? There’s also an advanced challenge with an additional 11 categories (one of which requires reading 2 books!), for a total of 26 books.
Download Reading Challenge and Advanced Challenge (PDF).
Track your reading
There are several ways you can keep track of what you've read:
- use the Borrowing History feature in your library account
- use the library's Save to List feature
- track your reading on Goodreads
- keep track on the Reading Challenge form
- any other way that works for you.
Share your accomplishments
Keep us posted on your progress. We'd love to know how you're meeting the challenge:
- add your comments below
- join our Reading Challenge Facebook group or Goodreads discussion group
- tweet us on Twitter using the hashtag #TOpicks.
Get inspired
If you need inspiration, several of our staff members have committed to taking the challenge. Throughout 2019 we’ll be checking in to see how their reading is progressing, and sharing their picks for the different categories. Check back here each month to find all of their recommended reads.
Win prizes
As an added incentive, at the end of the challenge we’ll be offering the option to enter into a random draw for three prize packs for those who have completed the Basic Challenge. If you complete the Advanced Challenge you can also enter an additional draw for another prize pack. Be sure to keep track of what you’ve read throughout the year and register for a Toronto Public Library card to be eligible to enter.
Are you up for the challenge?
Prize draw rules
The draw is open to all individuals who have completed the 2019 Reading Challenge and have a valid TPL card. Complete the online entry form by 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, January 12, 2020 to enter. Limit of one entry per person. On Monday, January 13, 2020, three individuals will be randomly selected to win a prize pack of books and library merchandise. A fourth winner will be drawn from those who have completed both the 2019 Reading Challenge and Advanced Challenge. Prize packs will be available for pickup at the winner’s choice of TPL branch. Winners will be required to answer a skill-testing question to claim their prize.
For participants who know that an author identifies as LGBTQ+ or has a disability, but the author has not publicly disclosed this information, you are welcome to put “Book by an author I know personally” in the appropriate field of the form.
Enter the draw
The draw is now closed and winners have been contacted!
Reading Challenge Lists
Throughout the year we'll be adding more lists with recommendations from staff and from our discussion groups for specific challenge categories. Here are the lists:
- A book about mental health
- A book by an eh List author (advanced challenge)
- A book that has been banned or challenged
- A non-prose book
- A book by an author from a visible minority
- A book by an LGBTQ+ author
- A book from a Canadian award-winning author and a book set in Toronto
- A very creative take on A book from a Canadian award-winning author
- Some books our staff always meant to read
- Figuring out what we don't know, books on topics our staff knew nothing about
- A book about being a newcomer, refugee or immigrant (advanced challenge)
- A book adapted into a movie or show
- A book you previous tried to read and gave up on (advanced challenge)
Other Reading Lists
We have many other reading lists to help you complete the challenge. Here are a few suggested lists:
Find more lists on our Books page.
FAQ
Who can participate in the challenge and prize draw?
The challenge is for anyone who is interested in reading more.
To be eligible for the prize draw, you will need to have a valid Toronto Public Library card and complete the challenge (don’t have a card yet? Here’s how to get one). Those who complete the advanced challenge as well will be eligible for an additional draw.
You don't need to participate in the online discussion to be eligible for the prize draw. Check back here in December 2019 for details on how to enter.
Do I have to read books from the library?
You can buy, borrow from friends, read from the library, raid your personal collection… any source of books is fair game.
Do I have to read books in English? Can I read books in French?
You can – in fact, you can read books in any language, not just English or French.
How should I track the books I’m reading?
There are several ways you can keep track of what you've read:
- use the Borrowing History feature in your library account
- use the library's Save to List feature
- track your reading on Goodreads
- keep track on the Reading Challenge form
- any other way that works for you.
I prefer audiobooks. Do those count?
Absolutely. If you prefer your books in audio, you’re welcome to listen to books for the challenge too.
I read a book that can fit into two of the categories on the challenge. Can I use it for both?
Nice try, but each book can only be used for a single challenge category.
My child is interested in the challenge. Can they participate?
The challenge is generally aimed at adults, but children and teens are welcome. They will also be able to enter the prize draw in December 2019.
Do I have to visit a library branch to get a recommendation from a TPL staff member?
You can, but we also have recommendations online:
What is a “non-prose book”?
Any book that doesn’t have typical sentence and paragraph structure. This could be a novel in verse, a book of poetry, a cookbook, a wordless book… there are many possibilities.
How can I find books for these Advanced Challenge categories?
Follow these links to find out more:
In the Advanced Challenge, what do you mean by “a book related to the Periodic Table of Elements”?
2019 is the International Year of the Periodic Table, celebrating 150 years of the periodic system. A “related” book could have an element in the title or author’s name (like Iron John by Robert Bly, or Dark Embrace by Eve Silver) – or it could be related to chemistry (like The Periodic Table, by Primo Levi, or Cosmicomics, by Italo Calvino). Be creative!
Updates
January 2019
- Added link to Toronto in Literature: Neighbourhood Book Lists
- Added link to a list of eh List authors from previous years (advanced challenge)
- Added link to our Black History Month 2019 reading list
- Added link to Books about Mental Health: Staff Picks for the 2019 Reading Challenge
February 2019
March 2019
April 2019
- Added link to Books by an Author from a Visible Minority: Staff Picks for the 2019 Reading Challenge
May 2019
June 2019
- Added link to Books by Canadian Award Winners and Books Set in Toronto: Staff Picks for the 2019 Reading Challenge
July 2019
- Added link to They Never Said it Had to Be a Book Award: 2019 Reading Challenge
- Added link to A Book You've Always Meant to Read: Staff Picks for the 2019 Reading Challenge
- Added link to A Book on a Topic You Know Nothing About: Staff Picks for the 2019 Reading Challenge
August 2019
- Added link to A Book About Being a Newcomer, Refugee or Immigrant: Staff Picks for the 2019 Reading Challenge
September 2019
October 2019
- Added link to A Book You Previously Tried to Read and Gave Up On: Staff Picks for the 2019 Reading Challenge
Looking for the TPL Reading Challenge 2020? It officially launches on January 13, 2020!
Check back at tpl.ca/readingchallenge on or after the 13 for a whole new challenge list!
37 thoughts on “Join our 2019 Reading Challenge!”
This is great! I’ll do my best to fill in all 25 categories! I read 39 books in 2018 but many of them fell into the same genre and I began to feel like I was stuck! This will help me to read books on a wide variety of topics!
This is a great list and I’m looking forward to checking each and every box!
I’m in! Sometimes I just stick with old favourites… this will help me get out of the rut!!!
Great idea! Definitely joining in.
What a fun initiative! I’m in. Thank you TPL!
Great and very smart idea that will make me to catch up on my mandatory high school reading – I’ve been procrastinating on one particular book for over 35 years, lol.
My 7-yrs old and I will join this fun journey together. So exciting!
I’m in – big time!
Is there some sort of group for people to share ideas and recommendations for different categories?
This sounds like a great challenge, I’m in!
This is awesome!!! I hope more libraries introduce this type of challenge!
Love it! This is giving me so many ideas. And as for the categories – already knocking ’em down 😉
Hi Katie,
You can discuss on the Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/214569429424183/), on Twitter with the hashtag #TOpicks, or even here in the comments.
Hope this helps,
Amy
FYI that link seems to be broken.
Sorry about that. It seems it hyperlinked the bracket and comma, which aren’t part of the link!
This is it:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/214569429424183/
So excited about this challenge; I accept @TPL!
Is The Subtle Art of not giving a F*ck considered a mental health book? Answerline could not tell me the answer
I love this! I’m in! I have a few books on the shelf to read from different categories but this will make me broaden my horizons!
Hi Amber,
You’re going to get a very Librarian answer to this one!
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is generally catalogued and shelved in the “Self-help” section (158.1 in this case), as opposed to mental health (360s or 610s, depending on the exact focus). That being said, since the book also talks about personal development and happiness it could definitely be beneficial to your mental health and would therefore suit the category.
We’re happy to let you pick if it fits. If it doesn’t feel right to you, perhaps it could work for “A book on a topic you know nothing about” instead.
Part of the fun of this challenge is seeing how people interpret the categories. My coworker Myrna agrees that this could go either way!
Hope this helps,
Amy
Congratulations, that’s a lot of reading! I, too, read the same things over and over (sci-fi, fantasy, YA, children’s novels, graphic novels)… and will definitely need to spread out this year!
Amazing. I’ve only done 1 category, “A graphic novel” and I read so many in a year that definitely doesn’t count as a challenge for me.
I tried Fence vol. 1, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series:
https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/search.jsp?Ntt=fence&N=4288372955
This is great! Thank you! For those of us who don’t use Facebook or Twitter, can we continue to use this thread/space to discuss the challenge throughout 2019? Again, thank you!
Yes, you’re definitely welcome to keep posting questions and discussions here.
We’ll be adding articles with staff picks for specific categories throughout the year, and they’ll be accessible from this main page and will have comment threads for discussion too.
(I am also not a Facebook user!)
Best,
Amy
Is there a hashtag for us to follow on twitter so we can see comments and suggestions from other participants?
After reading further, I found the hashtag – #TOPicks – will follow!
I hear you! I’m excited to get into some of these categories that I otherwise would not have.
I am so in, I am housebound and sick so without overdrive, home service and the occasional treat to the actual library I would probably go nuts. I generally go through at least one real or audiobook a day. The hospital jokes I use all their WiFi for my downloads. The prizes are a great bonus but a lot of these are new catagories for me and I can’t wait to get started as well as share it with the other super readers. Yay TPL you totally rock!
Does the book The Golden Son count as a book related to the Periodic Table of Elements as it has gold(en) in the title?
It definitely counts!
Great idea! I am in
Give the person who came up with this a raise! Finished my first book today (Outlander)
Thank you for the compliment! It was a joint effort.
I love Outlander, and most fantasy books. If you’re looking for recommendations of similar books that can be used for other categories, let us know.
Hello! I could be missing something obvious, but where is the advanced challenge list posted?
Thanks!
You’re right, it isn’t very clear!
The PDF link above (or click on the challenge picture) contains both the main challenge and the advanced challenge in the same file.
Thanks for pointing this out – we’ll update it to make it more obvious!
What a great idea!
Dont know how I missed this till now but hopefully you’ll do it again next year again.
Yes, we’ll be doing this again next year with new categories. We’re looking forward to it!